Augmenting a real world by presenting a real space on which various pieces of information are superimposed is referred to as augmented reality (AR). A technique using a marker for AR, for example, a two-dimensional bar code printed on a card is taken as one of the techniques for such AR. In this technique, the two-dimensional bar code is discriminated as the marker for AR from a captured image of a camera, and three-dimensional image data associated with the marker is displayed on a display device while being superimposed at the position of the two-dimensional bar code.
Unfortunately, in this augmented reality technique, on a screen of the display device on which the captured image is displayed, the three-dimensional image data corresponding to the marker is simply displayed while being superimposed at the position of the marker, and hence visual effects are monotonous.
The present disclosure provides a computer-readable recording medium recording an information processing program causing a computer to function as: an image acquiring unit that acquires a captured image of a real space; a feature detecting unit that detects a feature from the captured image; a determining unit that determines a virtual object, or, a virtual object and an aspect of the virtual object while changing the same in accordance with a condition of imaging device for the captured image; an image generating unit that generates an image of a virtual space in which the determined virtual object or the virtual object in the determined aspect is placed on a basis of the feature; and a display controlling unit that displays an image on a display device such that the image of the virtual space is visually recognized by a user while being superimposed on the real space.
Here, the display device may be connected as a peripheral device to the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure, and may be connected thereto via a communication network or the like. Moreover, the information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure may be constructed in a virtual environment such as so-called cloud computing.
Moreover, the feature placed in the real space refers to, for example, so-called a marker for AR or a code such as a two-dimensional bar code. Then, such a feature may be given to, for example, a component such as a card. Moreover, such a feature is not limited to a dedicated marker, a code, and the like. Even items used for other purposes can be used as the feature as long as a display reference of the virtual object can be acquired therefrom.
According to the present disclosure, at least one of the virtual object or the aspect of the virtual object displayed on the basis of the feature changes in accordance with a condition of recognition means for the feature, and hence an augmented reality technique rich in visual variety can be provided.
Note that the type of augmented reality technique to which the present disclosure is applied is not limited. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, augmented reality techniques in which: a composite image obtained by superimposing a virtual space image on a captured image is displayed; and the virtual space image is thus visually recognized by the user while being superimposed on the real space. The present disclosure can also be applied to augmented reality techniques (for example, HUD: Head-Up Display) in which a virtual space image is projected on the field of view of the user, to be thereby visually recognized by the user while being superimposed on the real space.
Moreover, the computer may include a plurality of cameras as the imaging device in the same casing. For the condition of the imaging device for the captured image, in accordance with which of the plurality of cameras captures the captured image, the determining unit may determine the virtual object, or, the virtual object and the aspect of the virtual object.
As a result, the virtual object, or, the virtual object and the aspect of the virtual object placed in the virtual space on the basis of the feature change in accordance with which of the cameras captures the captured image, and hence an augmented reality technique rich in visual variety can be provided.
Moreover, the computer may include a display device in the same casing. A part of the plurality of cameras may be provided on substantially the same plane as that of a display screen of the display device. Another part of the plurality of cameras may be provided on a plane other than substantially the same plane as that of the display screen of the display device. For the condition of the imaging device for the captured image, in accordance with whether the captured image is a captured image by the camera provided on substantially the same plane as that of the display screen or a captured image by the camera provided on the plane other than substantially the same plane as that of the display screen, the determining unit may determine the virtual object, or, the virtual object and the aspect of the virtual object.
Moreover, the part of the plurality of cameras and the another part thereof may be substantially opposite to each other in a capturing direction based on a posture of the computer.
As a result, in the case where the feature is captured by the camera(s) placed on substantially the same plane as the display surface of the display device, a virtual object or an aspect of the virtual object that is different from that in the case where the same feature is captured by the camera(s) placed on the other plane is displayed. Hence, the user can feel surprise, and entertainment properties of the augmented reality technique can be improved.
Moreover, for the condition of the imaging device for the captured image, in accordance with a change in the imaging device for the captured image, the determining unit may change the virtual object, or, the virtual object and the aspect of the virtual object. As a result, each time the imaging device is switched, the virtual object or the aspect of the virtual object displayed on the basis of the feature changes, and hence entertainment properties of the augmented reality technique can be improved.
Moreover, the aspect of the virtual object may be defined by an external appearance of the virtual object. Moreover, the aspect of the virtual object may be defined by a posture of the virtual object. Moreover, the aspect of the virtual object may be defined by a motion made by the virtual object. As a result, the aspect of the virtual object can be rich in variety.
Moreover, the present disclosure can be interpreted as an information processing apparatus, an information processing system including one or more information processing apparatuses, a method to be executed by a computer, or a program to be executed by a computer. Moreover, the present disclosure can also be interpreted as a recording medium that records therein such a program, the recording medium being readable by computers, other apparatuses or machines, and the like. Here, the recording medium readable by the computers and the like refers to a recording medium that can accumulate therein information such as data and a program through an electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical action, and allows the computers and the like to read such information out thereof.